Dominican Republic: what dangers may lie in wait, tips for tourists. A snake is not only valuable fur
According to travel agents, the Dominican Republic is safe for vacation. However, this is not quite true. For example, according to statistics, the crime rate in the country is one of the highest in the Caribbean. In addition to criminal risks, the traveler will face other dangers here that you need to know about in advance.
Terrorism and crime
Terrorist threat in Dominican Republic practically non-existent. However, the danger is posed by unrest among the local population, which often develops into riots and clashes with the police. The situation often becomes more tense on the eve of elections. It is recommended to avoid going to poor areas and avoid demonstrations.
Crimes such as street robbery, pickpocketing, and money fraud are very common in the Dominican Republic. credit cards and car thefts. The list of the most popular things that pickpockets pay attention to is topped by passports. It’s worth keeping a close eye on cash, credit cards, driver’s licenses, and airline tickets – it’s best to keep all this in a hotel safe. If documents are needed for any action, a photocopy is usually sufficient.
The most common type of crime is street robbery. Robbers operate day and night; in groups and alone; on foot and by motorcycle or bicycle. In the latter case, they drive up to the victim, snatch bags, Cell phones, cameras and quickly leave. Such crimes are solved very rarely. Therefore, it is recommended to watch out for motorcyclists passing by, and not to carry phones and cameras on lanyards or in your hands.
You cannot leave valuables on beaches or in cars - your car can even be robbed in the parking lot of a hotel or supermarket. It is better to keep money in different places so that in the event of a robbery you will not be left completely without funds. You should not go out after drinking alcohol - drunk tourists most often become victims of criminals.
Due to the large number of cases of credit card fraud, their use in the Dominican Republic should be minimized. ATMs should only be used in reputable establishments or branches of international banks. Even after leaving the country, keep an eye on your card balance for several weeks - scammers may postpone their plans for a while so that the card owner does not suspect anything.
You need to exchange currency only at official exchange points - otherwise there is a high risk of becoming the owner of counterfeit bills.
Behind last years the number of intentional murders per 100 thousand inhabitants in the Dominican Republic was about 25 per year (for comparison, in Russia this figure is slightly more than 10).
Road safety
The roads in the Dominican Republic are quite dangerous. At the entrances to settlements There are armed police checkpoints - they can stop a car to check documents.
On local roads It's easy to become a victim of scammers dressed in police uniforms. Their “business” is to extort “fines”. Real police officers can be identified by the "AMET" signs on their cars or motorcycles. If you are fined by the police, be sure to ask for a receipt, which must be paid at the AMET office. Remember that in the Dominican Republic the free carrying of firearms is allowed, so its presence does not mean that its owner belongs to law enforcement agencies.
Another danger on the roads is that local residents sometimes throw themselves under the wheels in order to subsequently receive monetary compensation from the driver. Almost all laws in the country are designed in such a way that the Dominican will always be right.
Natural disasters and natural hazards
Earthquakes and hurricanes are not uncommon in the Dominican Republic. Houses here, as a rule, are built without taking into account seismic hazards. Tsunamis also pose a significant threat.
Tropical cyclones and hurricanes are most common between July and August. You can learn about their approach from the local media.
Most Dominican beaches are protected from the sea by coral reefs, which prevent unexpected visitors such as sharks, barracudas or moray eels from swimming there.
Health care and medicine in the Dominican Republic
The quality of medical care is low; In addition, treatment is quite expensive. If minor health problems can be solved in any hospital, then if necessary, for example, serious surgical intervention, you will have to go to Santo Domingo.
When going to the Dominican Republic, it is advisable to purchase medical insurance - it will allow you to avoid serious additional expenses if something happens.
The island has a high level of solar activity, so it is recommended to take sunscreens and glasses, as well as light clothing.
It is better not to use local tap water for drinking - it is advisable to buy mineral or purified water in bottles.
In the Dominican Republic, there is a risk of contracting all diseases found in tropical and temperate climates. Dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever, swine flu, tetanus, hepatitis - these are not full list diseases that can be contracted here.
The prevalence of HIV infection is moderate. There are about 60 thousand people living with HIV in the country, which is about 0.6% of the total population (for comparison, in Russia - about 0.7%).
Introductory provisions and terms
The company "Two Bananas" offers travel services, including excursions, tours, trips, visits, recreational and cultural... Any individual, accessing the Site and accepting these Terms and Conditions is the “Buyer”. Hereinafter, “Two Bananas” and the Buyer will be collectively referred to as the “Parties.”
By using the Site, the Buyer agrees to these Terms and Conditions, which immediately enter into legal force at the moment of starting to use the Site.
Any booking made on the Site through the booking form, email or other communication sources provided in the Contacts section automatically means the Buyer’s full agreement with these Terms and Conditions and his obligation to pay the full cost of the Services he has booked.
If you do not agree to these Terms and Conditions, please do not access or use the Site.
It is completely prohibited to copy, reproduce, republish, download, post, broadcast, transmit, make available to the public or in any other way use the content of the Site, including text, images, URLs, pricing information, etc., for except for personal, non-commercial use by the Buyer.
The Buyer may use the Site solely for personal, non-commercial purposes and/or to request a reservation for the Services offered on the Site. Buyer agrees not to use this site to make speculative, fraudulent or false inquiries. The Buyer also agrees not to use robots or other automated means on the Site.
The terms and conditions may be supplemented, changed and published in modified form on the Site at any time and without additional notice.
1. Booking Services
1.1. Booking of Services and the procedure for their confirmation between “Two Bananas” and the Buyer is carried out in in electronic format, starting from the moment the Buyer sends a request to book an excursion or service. By submitting a booking request, the Buyer understands and accepts the Services as described on the Site and accepts these Terms and Conditions.
1.2. The Service booking process includes the following steps:
“Two Bananas” accepts the application and checks the availability of the date of interest to the Buyer;
After the Parties agree on the dates, “Two Bananas” sends the Buyer instructions on how to pay for the Services (if payment is not provided upon the day of the service or excursion);
The Buyer undertakes to confirm the reservation by making 100% payment for the cost of services, unless otherwise agreed by the Parties.
1.3. The reservation is considered completed when “Two Bananas” sends a reservation confirmation by email or other means of communication to the Buyer.
1.4. Prior to completing a booking, the Buyer must disclose any specific needs and services that may be required due to his or her physical condition, otherwise Two Bananas does not assume any special obligation, liability or compensation in relation to such Buyer's needs.
2. Cost and payment
2.1. Prices on the Site are indicated in dollars and if, by agreement of the Parties, the Buyer makes part of the payment on the day the Services begin in another currency, the cost of the Services will be calculated at the rate of the National Bank of the Dominican Republic on the current date.
3. Rights and obligations of “Two Bananas”
3.1. "Two Bananas" undertakes:
Make these Terms and Conditions available to the Buyer by publishing them on the Site.
Provide the Buyer with confirmation of booking of the Services by email or other means of communication after receiving payment for the Services.
Provide the reserved and paid Services in accordance with their description presented on the Site.
Inform the Buyer that Two Bananas is not responsible for services and products provided by third parties.
3.2. "Two Bananas" has the right:
Change the schedule, route or sequence of visits to attractions due to unforeseen, unavoidable or other similar circumstances.
Terminate the provision of Services if the Buyer makes their provision difficult or impossible through rude or indecent behavior. If the “Two Bananas” guides assess the Buyer’s behavior as inappropriate and disturbing the order in places of visit, especially religious and cultural ones, such Buyer will be denied further provision of Services without reimbursement of his expenses and compensation for the cost of the Services.
4. Rights and obligations of the Buyer
4.1. The buyer undertakes:
Agree to the Two Bananas Privacy Policy, booking, payment and cancellation policies as set out in these Terms and Conditions.
Provide the information necessary to make a reservation.
After receiving a booking confirmation, check the information specified in it, and if errors are found, inform Two Bananas immediately.
Buy travel insurance while visiting the Dominican Republic.
Pay the full cost of the booked Services on the day of the excursion or service.
Arrive at the meeting point with the Two Bananas guides without delay.
It is your personal responsibility to be physically able and willing to participate in any activities/activities included in the Services booked and to wear appropriate clothing.
Conduct yourself in a manner that is appropriate and respectful of local laws and customs.
Take care of personal belongings independently, because “Two Bananas” is not responsible for the safety of the Buyer’s personal belongings.
Compensate immediately and on the spot for any damage caused to “Two Bananas” and/or third parties during the provision of Services, if the Buyer is responsible for causing such damage.
4.2. The buyer has the right:
Receive Services in accordance with their description on the Site, booking confirmation and these Terms and Conditions.
5. Cancellation, modification of conditions and termination of Services
5.1. Cancellation or modification of Two Bananas Services:
5.1.1. “Two Bananas” may cancel the provision of Services in whole or in part due to circumstances that arose against the will and desire of “Two Bananas”, and which cannot be foreseen or avoided (force majeure), including declared or actual war, civil unrest, acts of government authorities , sanctions, epidemics, blockades, earthquakes, floods, fires and other natural disasters and other similar phenomena that prevent “Two Bananas” from fulfilling its obligations.
5.1.2. “Two Bananas” reserves the right to change the date or time of the start of the provision of Services, as well as the right to change the route, in the event of unforeseen circumstances specified in clause 5.1.1., without incurring obligations to pay compensation and damages to the Buyer.
5.1.3. If the provision of Services was interrupted due to the occurrence of circumstances specified in clause 5.1.1., “Two Bananas” has the right to withhold payment for the Services actually rendered.
5.1.4. If “Two Bananas” cannot complete the provision of Services due to the occurrence of the circumstances specified in clause 5.1.1., then, at the request of the Buyer, “Two Bananas” may reimburse the Buyer part of the amount paid for those Services that were not provided, according to Two Bananas calculations.
5.1.5. "Two Bananas" may terminate the provision of Services without paying compensation to the Buyer if the Buyer makes it impossible to provide the Services through rude and inappropriate behavior. In addition, in this case, the Buyer is obliged to compensate damage caused to “Two Bananas” in the amount of the full cost of the Services and other losses.
5.2. Cancellation of booking and provision of Services by the Buyer:
5.2.1. The Buyer has the right to cancel the booked Services. Cancellation is made by sending a message by email or other means of communication specified in the contacts section. A previously unpaid excursion must be canceled at least two days before it takes place. If the excursion or service has been paid for in advance (as required internal rules company and a cooperation agreement with the contractor “Two Bananas”), a 100% refund is possible if there is a valid reason for canceling an excursion or service, as well as informing “Two Bananas” in advance (at least 4 days).
5.2.2 If on the start date of the tour/trip the Buyer does not appear at the appointed time at the meeting point, then “Two Bananas” reserves the right to withhold the full cost of the Services.
6. Responsibility of the parties and resolution of disputes
6.1. For all issues not regulated by these Terms and Conditions, the Parties agree to be governed by the laws of the Dominican Republic.
6.2. Any complaints from the Buyer must be voiced to the leaders, guides or managers of “Two Bananas” immediately and must include arguments regarding the inconsistency of the Services described on the website and the Services provided to the Buyer. The Buyer agrees to cooperate with Two Bananas and wait for its justified complaint to be resolved locally, and to accept the proposed solutions to continue providing the Services. If the Buyer’s complaint cannot be resolved immediately and on the spot, then the Buyer has the right to send it along with documents confirming his innocence, by email or other means of communication. Two Bananas will consider the complaint within a reasonable time and in accordance with these Terms and Conditions. Return Money, after consideration of the complaint, can be carried out in an amount equal to the unprovided part of the Services, according to the calculations of “Two Bananas”, but cannot exceed the full cost of all Services provided.
6.3. "Two Bananas" is not responsible for services/products provided by third parties.
6.4. "Two Bananas" is not responsible for injuries, damages, losses, accidents, delays or deviations from the schedule, expenses or other problems incurred by the Buyer in connection with the violation of obligations on the part of the hotels, transport companies or other companies and persons providing services included in the Services purchased by the Buyer.
6.5. If any provision of these Terms and Conditions is determined to be unlawful, void or unenforceable under the laws of the Dominican Republic, it will be deleted from the Terms and Conditions and the remaining provisions of the Terms and Conditions will remain in full force and effect and continue to be binding.
In my notes about the Dominican Republic, I wrote a lot about the people of this country and how easy and calm everything was there.
Nevertheless, consider the issue of security separately.
I’ll immediately show you the most dangerous gangsters I met in the Dominican Republic :)
The first one late in the evening in the local area, and the second one in the forest.
These are the gangsters)))
What else can you say about safety...
Of course, there are nuances to consider to stay safe.
And all these nuances are standard. The main thing is not to forget about them.
Do not hold large sums of money in your hands in plain sight, do not leave valuables anywhere, do not walk through dark areas at night with money in your hands or expensive equipment in plain sight, and so on.
Local Russian expats generally agreed with me that the Dominican Republic is safe and the police are adequate. But they still gave one important piece of advice.
There are no police on city beaches at night - and there were cases (with Russians) when someone decided to go down to the night sea from the embankment in Santo Domingo, and a knife was stuck in him there. The valuables were taken. Fortunately, the man survived. They said that local gopniks don’t even speak like in Russia. They just silently stick a knife in, take away valuables and run away. In this regard, be careful at night.
At the same time, both Russian expats and the Dominicans themselves told me that they don’t remember a single message about someone being robbed somewhere during the day, not that they caused any damage :)
In general, from the point of view of precautionary measures, nothing supernatural.
And finally, one Dominican woman who gave me a lift said something brilliant and simple:
“Well, in your own country, you won’t walk around a dark, unfamiliar suburb with a lot of money in your hands, a camera and a laptop and approach people who look like bandits? It’s the same with us! Standard precautions are the same everywhere.” :)
Therefore, during the trip I had to joke, taking photographs like this with captions:
<< Dominican Republic is a very dangerous country. All you have to do is step outside the hotel and there are people with guns everywhere :( >>
In fact, in the capital there are many armed police near historical center and most importantly cruise port. And even a kilometer away there is a military unit. Therefore, people in military uniform with weapon. Where they are, it couldn’t be safer :)
<< As soon as we left the hotel, the gopniks immediately came up and offered to give up the camera on good terms: (They still smile, like I’m not going anywhere...>>
I already wrote about baseball players - nice guys :) They love to be photographed :)
<< The Dominican Republic is so dangerous for independent travelers that it is better not to go without a knife. There are street gangs everywhere. But...the best defense is an attack. So I decided to create my own gang. There are three of us so far. My black brother and I are with a machete, and the third one, behind us, “I’ll stab you out” - a dangerous man, he doesn’t even need a knife. Beware of gangs in the Dominican Republic! >>
And it’s not at all necessary to create your own gang in the Dominican Republic)))
<<The safest thing to do in the Dominican Republic is to be a local. Therefore... Meet us! Me and my new Dominican family on a picnic! Do we really have cute kids?>>
But you can start your own family in the Dominican Republic! :) Love is such a thing... who will contradict you :)
And generally speaking...
How can it be dangerous in a country led by Putin? :)))
Safe travels everyone!
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INDEX
=== Other posts about this trip: ===
The Dominican Republic is developing very quickly, there are more tourists every year. The government pays a lot of attention to security. The crime rate in the Dominican Republic is falling annually, which is facilitated by the good work of the security authorities and the standard of living of Dominicans.
Despite all the articles and horror stories of the guide, I confidently declare that in tourist places resort areas at appropriate times are completely safe for you.
You can go to the store yourself, visit night club, rent a car and drive around the city, chat with the locals. Of course, there is no need to shy away from black neighborhoods or walk at inappropriate times. Those who are looking for adventure will definitely find it.
Most of the problems arise among tourists who are looking for adult entertainment. Night life as in any other country, it is intertwined with crime and not always with honest residents.
The Dominican Republic is not safe for your belongings; theft, street robberies and fraud are rampant here. The Dominicans' great reluctance to work, their love of easy money, contributes to schemes for making easy money.
Theft in hotels in the Dominican Republic.
Unfortunately, thefts in hotel rooms in the Dominican Republic do occur. Theft occurs from suitcases and closets, but also from safes.
My advice to you is that when leaving your room and expecting it to be cleaned, hide everything valuable in a safe, in which you must change the password in advance.
Recently, I once again heard a story about how two tourists returned from breakfast and looked into their locked safe and did not find $5,000 there.
They immediately called the hotel administration and security, who in turn invited the maid who was cleaning there that morning. When asked by the administration, the cleaning lady, of course, said that apart from cleaning the room, she was not involved in anything.
Tourists wrote a statement to the police about the theft of money, but to be honest, this is usually where the matter ends.
Crime on the streets of the Dominican Republic
The resorts of the Dominican Republic are no different from any other resort areas in the world. During the daytime, the center of the resort areas is safe; you can often see police officers on the streets; security guards are on duty along the entire perimeter of the hotels. At night, I would not advise you to leave the hotel premises with any valuables or large amounts of cash.
In dark alleys or on the road, a couple of dark guys on a motorcycle with a gun may drive up to you and ask you to give something good, including money, jewelry and phones.
If you are traveling by car, be sure to drive with the windows and doors closed, preferably during the daytime. In stores and gas stations, don't flash wads of money too much, as the bad guys might follow you. In large stores, at gas stations and near banks, guards with shotguns are on duty.
The main robberies usually occur during the Christmas holidays, on New Year's, when the wealthiest tourists arrive, and on the big Dominican holiday - Samana - Santa. This is something like our Easter holiday, Dominicans are freed from work for 3 days and rush to tourist areas.
Excursion trips are absolutely safe, you are surrounded by staff travel companies, drivers and local guides who never deviate from safe routes and care about you and your property.
Sea - Safety in the Dominican Republic
The sea off the coast of the hotel areas is practically safe; due to the coral reefs located near the beaches, sharks cannot swim close. According to statistics I found on the Internet, I learned that in 100 years only 3 cases of shark attacks have been recorded. All of them occurred near the capital - Santo Domingo, right where coral reef absent.
Food in the Dominican Republic
Local food is very similar to the food we are used to eating in everyday life. So you shouldn’t have a transition period or so-called traveler’s diarrhea. The Dominicans themselves are very fond of rice, chicken and beans, they are ready to eat it every day - 3 times a day.
They consider seafood food to be food for the poor and do not eat it very often and do not know how to cook it well. Alcoholic drinks in the Dominican Republic are very good quality, there are practically no fakes, at least I have never heard of them. I highly recommend local rum, it is usually used in cocktails.
Roads of the Dominican Republic
In the Dominican Republic it is very good roads. Wherever you go, I guarantee your trip will not involve potholes or off-road conditions.
We ourselves often travel to different parts of the Dominican Republic and use it more often toll roads, the fees at checkpoints themselves are not that high, but they shorten your journey by half, and sometimes by three.
For example, to get to the capital Santo Domingo at all checkpoints you will need only 250 pesos, but you will save 3 hours of driving and that is more than 1000 pesos saved on fuel.
Traffic in the Dominican Republic
Traffic in the Dominican Republic is different from the traffic you are used to at home. Of course, all drivers have a driver’s license, but the traffic rules here are purely advisory. A car or motorcycle moving in oncoming traffic will not surprise anyone here.
The main thing is that he doesn’t bother anyone. A police officer, so rare on the roads of the Dominican Republic, first of all looks at the driver’s seat belt.
When you rent a car, be extremely careful when moving on the roads of the Dominican Republic, often look in the rear-view mirrors, motorcyclists can appear from your left or right very suddenly, and there are more than enough of them here.
When approaching an intersection, slow down and slowly drive through it; Dominicans do not pay attention to right-hand rules at intersections; they move chaotically, but carefully. Traffic lights are quite rare on local roads.
IN resort areas a lot of people came here from the other half of this island from Haiti. They are a little different from the local population.
They are often described as having a smile in their eyes and a machete behind their back. Many of them earn extra money as taxi drivers on motorcycles, some collect sugar cane, many work on construction sites and a large number of legalized and working in hotels.
But at night, peaceful Haitians fall asleep and the mafia wakes up. Of course, there are a lot of great people among the Haitians, but extra caution, especially at night, won't hurt. 
